Student : Ellen MurphyEssay Planning SheetTeacher: Mr Kydd

Question
“By the end of 1934 Hitler was in total control of Germany.” How far do you agree with this statement?
Key Words and Phrases in the question
“end of 1934”
“total control”
“how far”
Key issues to be discussed
Hitler in total control / Hitler faced internal opposition to control / Hitler faced external opposition to control
  • The Election Campaign & the Reichstag Fire
  • Concordat with the Pope 8th July 1933
  • The Enabling Act 5th March 1933
  • Gleichschaltung
  • The Night of the Long Knives 30th June
  • ‘Fuhrer’ 2nd August
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  • The SA and the ‘second revolution’
  • SA revolution from below - Ernst Rohm
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  • Communism
  • March 1933 Election – still no majority in Reichstag for NSDAP
  • Catholic Church
  • The Army

Line of Argument

Point

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Ideas and line of argument. (How does this tie to the key terms)

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Content

Introduction

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Definition ‘total control’/dictatorship

  • Considerable authority, became Fuhrer
  • Never received 2/3 majority in Reichstag
  • Some groups opposed his leadership & challenged ‘total control’
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Definition: absolute authority in any sphere

1.

/ ‘Total Control’ (2 paragraphs)
  1. The Election Campaign & the Reichstag Fire
  2. The Enabling Act 5th March 1933
  3. Concordat with the Pope 8th July 1933
  4. Gleichschaltung
  5. The Night of the Long Knives 30th June
  6. ‘Fuhrer’ 2nd August
/

1.Destruction of KPD, Prussia: Goering control of police – 50,000 mainly SA. 27th Feb – van der Lubbe (communist) Nazi arrest 4000 communists & they lose 19 seats, consequential – The Decree for the Protection of People and State

  1. Allowed the gov. to introduce new laws and amend 1919 constitution, passed by 444-94 votes. SPD banned June 1933, KPD outlawed. The free trades unions were broken up. April 1933 – The Lander. Hostile police dismissed. Hostile press closed down.
  2. Success in neutralizing the role of the Catholic Church in politics by signing a Concordat with the Pope on 8th July. A ‘promise’ from Hitler to leave the Church to its own affairs in exchange for a promise that the Church would not interfere in political matters.
  3. Gleichschaltung = ‘bringing into line’, started April 1933. State gov. and police forced essentially brought under Nazi control. Actions in the states were retrospectively legalized in laws issued.
  4. Hitler seized opportunity to remove any old enemies e.g. Strasser and Schleicher. 400 murdered that night. Hitler claimed he had responded to a treason plot & was thanked by the Cabinet for his ‘determined and courageous actions’. Succeeded in gaining approval of the army. SA ceased to be a serious military presence & was eclipsed by the SS.
  5. Hindenburg died 2nd August. Hitler new ‘fuhrer’. Members of army swore an oath of loyalty to him.

2.

/ Internal opposition to control
  1. The SA and the ‘second revolution’
  2. SA revolution from below - Ernst Rohm
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1.SA = working class element of party that used violent intimidations tactics on streets. SA thought that their efforts would grant them positions of authority no Hitler was Chancellor. Leader – Ernst Rohm, determined not to allow SA become propaganda tool which took part in “shining torchlight processions and impressive parades.” He wanted SA to merge with army. Hitler had no intention of carrying through this ‘second revolution.’ SA becoming an embarrassment to Hitler i.e. street brawls and hooliganism. Rohm declared privately: “Adolf is a swine. He will give us all away.”

  1. Army and big industrialists who supported NSDAP clearly opposed to behaviour of the SA. February 1933 – General von Blomberg alerted Hitler to the growing military activities of the SA in T.o.V demilitarised areas. Hitler risked alienating the army by remaining loyal to the SA and so he chose the army.

3.

/ External opposition to control
  1. Communism
  2. March 1933 Election – still no majority in Reichstag for NSDAP
  3. Catholic Church
  4. The Army
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1.Van der Lubbe & Reichstag fire = still prepared to oppose Hitler’s power

  1. NSDAP only won 44% of vote – 288/647 seats in Reichstag (36 short for overall majority) Despite reaching majority through Nazi- DNVP bloc, suggests they didn’t have power/support needed for Hitler to have total control
  2. German people felt strong loyalty to the Church. Hitler could not afford to alienate them. The Concordat with the Pope tied Hitler to a promise that he could not officially run its affairs. Catholic Churches never completely dismantled by Gleichschaltung.
  3. Hitler too dependent on support of army to not co-ordinate with them. Army was the only body who could still force him out of power. Bowed under pressure to control his SA when faced with opposition from the Army.

Conclusion

/ Although Hitler faced internal and external opposition, ‘by the end of 1934’ it was clear that Hitler had power over every sphere in Germany. /

Hitler took over the office of President and leader of the army (the soldiers had to swear to die for Adolf Hitler personally).

 Hitler called himself 'Fuhrer'.

There was no opposition left

  • All other parties were banned

Teacher Guidance